JG Whittier Principal ‘Happy and Humbled’ as New School Year Starts

JG Whittier Principal Brian Gill, left, and Assistant Principal Tim Betty congratulate a student on her induction to the Middle School Honor Society.

Throughout the month of August, WHAV provides a daily report counting down to the first day of school in Greater Haverhill.

JG Whittier Middle School Principal Brian Gill and Assistant Principal Tim Betty look forward to welcoming students on Tuesday, Aug. 29 to a new school year.

Homeroom assignments will be posted on the front door of the school on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Students and their families are invited to an open house on Monday, Aug. 28. Fifth-graders will attend from 4 to 5 p.m. and sixth- through eighth-graders from 6 to 7 p.m.

JG Whittier is looking for a volunteer to help update its web page. The time commitment is small, just a few minutes every week or so. No experience is required; training is available through the Haverhill Public Schools’ iSchool. This is a wonderful opportunity for a parent to help the school, or for a senior student to log volunteer time. Anyone who is interested should contact Gill.

“We are happy and humbled to have the unique opportunity to be involved in your lives,” Gill wrote to JG Whittier families this week. “We will work diligently to offer a ‘user-friendly’ environment that places your child’s safety, social, emotional and academic well-being as our top priorities.”

Pentucket Regional Middle School will offer Cross Country for seventh- and eighth-graders through the district’s community education program. Led by coaches Andy Alsup, Meg Goldweber and Steve Coppola, instruction will focus on proper running form and technique along with improving speed, strength and endurance. Practices will be after school until 4 p.m. on Tuesday Thursday and Friday. Most meets will be Thursday afternoons.

Athletes will compete in the Cape Ann League, running races of about 2 miles.

Cost is $120. Registration forms are available on the district’s Community Education page.

Season schedule will be available on the first day of the program, which is Sept. 12.

Pentucket Regional Middle School serves students from Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury.

Timberlane Regional High School has scheduled orientations for freshmen and for transfer students on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Freshman orientation begins at 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at the high school on Greenough Road in Plaistow, N.H.

All incoming freshmen and their parents are encouraged to attend. The session will begin with a welcome address at 6 p.m., after which students and parents will be dismissed to follow the students’ course schedules. Each block will meet in its classroom for 10 minutes for a brief introduction to the teacher and to review the course syllabus.

Orientation for transfer students in grades 10, 11 and 12 begins at 6:30 p.m. in the school counseling office. The session includes an introduction to the school and a tour of the building. Current students will be on hand to answer questions and to help new students find their classrooms.

Timberlane serves students from Atkinson, Danville, Plaistow and Sandown, N.H.

Haverhill Public Schools open their doors to students in grades 1 through 12 on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Kindergarten begins Sept. 5. All Haverhill students will attend for a half-day on Friday, Sept. 1, and enjoy a day off for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.

Regional first days are:

Pentucket: Aug. 31

Timberlane: Aug. 31

Methuen: Aug. 29

Whittier: Aug. 29 for freshmen and new students; Aug. 30 for all students

Do you have a submission for the Back-to-School Countdown? Email information to [email protected]. Tune in tomorrow for more back-to-school information.